BHUBANESWAR: Malaria deaths in the State have begun to post consistent decline in recent years. It has been effected by scaled up surveillance and case management, integrated vector management, epidemic preparedness and early response along with supportive interventions and strengthening human resources, the State Government claimed on Tuesday. Orissa accounts for 23 per cent of malaria cases in the country and 20 per cent of deaths in 2009. This has come down significantly to 20 per cent cases and 17 per cent of the mortality in the country in 2010. During the current year till September 30, there have been only 58 deaths due to malaria in comparison to 162 during the same period in 2010. Patient load in the hospitals due to malaria has also registered a sharp decline this year, health officials have put forth at a review meeting held by Secretary Anu Garg on Monday. The decline in deaths in 2001 while being attributed to implementation of effective strategies is also brought about by large-scale use of artesunate combinations during treatment as well as increasing use of long lasting insecticide-treated bed nets in hyper endemic areas. Incidence of malaria in pregnant mothers as well as low birth weight babies has also gone down. With a view to intensify prevention and control programmes, the State Government has started training Ashas to handle malaria-related blood tests and detecting symptoms and provisioning prompt treatment to the people. Of the 40,718 Ashas in the State, 33,619 have already received training and the rest will follow suit soon. Malaria drugs supply and management system is being augmented, the Secretary said.
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